Growing Market for Beverage Biopackaging

According to Zenith International the market for drinks and beverage packaging into compostable bottles and biodegradable containers can reach 23 million Euro (32 million USD) within the year 2007.

The report from Zenith International, called "Drinks Biopackaging 2007" is reflecting the strength of compostable biopackaging within the global beverage industry. The report is thereby focusing on the efforts and investments that are required for compostable biopackaging to become a real option for bottlers and other beverage or food manufacturers.

According to the report the market for biodegradable packaging has grown by 150% within the year 2006 already. It is estimated that the market potention for compostable packaging materials will multiply five-fold within the US and Western Europe to exceed 135 million litres until the year 2011.

The most frequent use of biopackaging is currently focused on drinks, foods and beverages with a natural, health or wellness image or background. Aloe Vera drinks, smoothies, natural water and others.

A number of factors however remain for the beverage bottling industry that makes use of compostable packaging containers a challenge, as Gary Roethenbaugh, director of research with Zenith International stated.

There is a clear move in the direction of biodegradable packaging, but as prices are still not too competetive against conventional packaging materials, more support from governments and municipal bodies should be required.

Some of the measures suggested include government backed programs for maximising the use of compostable packaging materials such as bottles made of biopackaging materials. Another way to enforce the use of biopackaging would be to reduce taxes or fees on bottles and other beverage containers made of biopackaging materials.

Further use and mass production would then automatically lead to further price reduction of compostable raw materials and biodegradable beverage bottles for example.

Also the network of separating compostable bottles, e.g. made of corn, >from conventional plastic and PET bottles including a corresponding recycling system as well as waste water management needs to be build up. Such system is already existing within the USA and Europe, however still is too faint to cope with huge amounts of returned materials.